This invention relates generally to electronic commerce and particularly to managing on-line transactions for the sale of goods or services.
In a number of instances in connection with on-line transactions, one entity is responsible for completing the on-line transaction with a customer. For present purposes that entity will be called the “on-line transaction service”. Typically, the on-line transaction service is a server which is coupled to the Internet. Customers access the Internet web address and web pages maintained by the on-line transaction service. From these web pages, the customers can obtain information about available products. In addition, the on-line transaction service provides software for implementing on-line sales of goods and services. Thus, the on-line transaction service takes care of implementing the transaction to purchase the goods or services.
Generally, on-line transactions also involve order fulfillment. Commonly, the order fulfillment may be undertaken by an entity different than the on-line transaction service. In order to implement order fulfillment, an inventory management system may be utilized. The inventory management system keeps track of the actual physical inventory that the product supplier has in place. This inventory may be actual existing inventory or the inventory that will exist based on current product schedules. Generally, the inventory management system is associated with a product vendor which may be the distributor or manufacturer of a given product. The inventory management system of the product's vendor is referred to herein as the product vendor inventory management system. It may be implemented by a server coupled to a network such as the Internet.
Thus, typically the on-line transaction proceeds with a customer accessing the on-line transaction service's web site and making a request for a purchase. The on-line transaction service typically contacts the product vendor inventory management system to determine whether the inventory is available in the time frame typically associated with such transactions. If so, the on-line transaction service may proceed to complete the transaction with the on-line customer. The service may notify the product vendor inventory management system of the transaction so that the inventory management system may appropriately adjust its available inventory.
While the system works very well in some circumstances, when the demand for products is particularly high, the system may break down. In particular, the delay inherent in accessing the inventory management system may be extended because of current bandwidth capacity on the Internet and the number of requests for inventory management information coming into the inventory management system.
Thus, the on-line customer may grow impatient and may not wish to wait the time needed to verify that the inventory is available. This may result in lost sales. Moreover, the on-line transaction service may be bogged down by on-line customers simply connected and waiting for verification of their transactions. This may result in a decreased rate at which transactions may be completed by the on-line transaction service.
Thus, there is a need for a better way to manage on-line transactions which reduces delay and conserves bandwidth.